Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

A/N: Sorry about the wait, but I finally got another chapter done! I'll try to post one next week, as well, but depending on how busy I am, we shall see what happens. Updates, as usual, are on the forum. Enjoy!

Following the Footsteps of Destiny

Chapter 160: In the Mind of a Fallen Angel

Ken Ichijouji

Odaiba, Japan, Earth

With quite a bit of help from Minomon, Ken quickly told Dai and the others exactly what had happened to him twenty-five years ago, and he was careful to include all of the events that had taken place even before the Emperor, which included his brother's death, Oikawa's presence at the funeral, the appearance of his Digivice, and the jealously he had felt towards his brother that had lived deep inside his heart. The Emperor may have existed only twenty-five years ago, but the path he had chosen that had allowed his heart to become a tool of darkness had begun quite a bit earlier than that. It had all started with his uncertain feelings towards his brother, and if he had only just realized how unique and special they both were in the eyes of their parents, a lot of what had happened could possibly have been avoided.

While telling his story, several times he had to stop to gain control of his emotions before he could continue, but despite all the painful memories he was forced to relive inside his mind and heart, he felt a great sense of relief in finally being able to reveal his secrets. Strangely enough, it was one of the hardest things he had ever had to do in his entire life, and yet when his story finally came to an end, he could not help feeling as if a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. It was a good feeling, and he knew he had done the right thing. There was only one problem. The worst part was still to come, and he had a feeling the way Miya and the others responded to his story would decide whether or not he had any hope at all of getting through to Sam.

If they can't even accept the truth, then there's no way Sam will ever be able to forgive me.

Even though there weren't any secrets left to reveal, the uneasy silence that still hovered over the room, a tense atmosphere charged with energy that had existed ever since he first began his story, made him feel like he desperately needed to explain himself further, but before he could open his mouth again, Dai suddenly looked up and gave him a small smile. "So...you don't blame your brother for everything that happened, do you?"

Huh?

Blinking in surprise, Ken frowned and nervously ran his fingers over Minomon's small head. Before telling his story, he had subconsciously warned himself that he needed to be prepared for anything, but the words that had just reached his ears were the last words he had expected to hear coming out of the goggle-headed leader's mouth. "No...I...if anything, I have to thank Sam. He helped me find my heart and to me that's the most important thing of all."

"It's strange, but when we're young, we don't always see the whole picture, and yet, at times children are much more insightful than adults. They see things that older children and adults tend to miss, things that are so clear and simple it's hard to understand why those who are older and wiser are unable to see the same thing," Ryoko said thoughtfully, his chin coming to rest comfortably in his hands. "Maybe I'm not the best person to judge, since my little brother or sister isn't born yet, but...I think having siblings means you have to learn how to communicate effectively with other people."

"What do you mean?" Matty asked curiously, his amber eyes lighting up with sudden interest.

"Well...look what happened with Ken."

Shifting uneasily in his seat, Ken gazed uncertainly at the golden-haired Digidestined and hugged Minomon protectively against his chest. "Ryoko..."

"Ken, there were many times when Sam would act distant and hostile towards you, and yet, despite his more unflattering moments, there were also times when he would be kind, attentive, and respectful towards you. On the surface, it may have seemed as if you were of little importance, but that wasn't the case at all. Sam was merely acting the way a brother is supposed to act."

"You mean..."

"Siblings fight. They shout, scream, hit, kick, and harass each other all the time, and sometimes they even say really hurtful things they don't mean, but that's the way life works. Look at Mickey and Matty. They're twins, as close as siblings can be, but even they don't always have the perfect relationship. Isn't the way they're acting now proof of what I'm trying to say?"

"Hey!" Matty shouted, glaring at his cousin. "You don't need to drag us into your stupid little speech!"

Instead of responding, Ryoko ignored the younger twin and proceeded to gaze solemnly at the ceiling. "Siblings might not always get along, but that doesn't change what's really important. It doesn't change the fact that they still care about each other, and when it really counts, they'll be the first ones there to defend each other with a ferocity that can't be matched by anything else. It's the people we love who hurt us the most, and it's the people we love who we end up hurting the most. How can your emotions react strongly to someone you feel nothing for? Often hatred is only a disguise for feelings you don't want to admit to yourself. Sam cared about you, Ken, just like your parents do. You couldn't see it then, but you see it now, right?"

Ken nodded and gave the golden-haired Digidestined a faint smile. "Yes, that's how he helped me find my heart, but the way you just managed to sum up our whole situation with such a simple explanation has made it all that much more clear to me. I couldn't see how Sam felt, nor just how much our parents loved both of us, not just Sam. I thought taking Sam's place was the only way I could receive their love and support, but Davis and the rest of my friends made me realize that I didn't have to be someone else to gain the friendship and respect of others. Sam, Wormmon, and my parents made me realize the same thing."

"It's okay to be yourself," Takara said softly.

"Exactly. They all loved me for who I was, not the person I pretended to be. I had what I wanted all along, but I just couldn't see it until Yolei and the others saved me from myself. There's nothing wrong with who I am. It's okay to be me, and no one will think any less of me for following my own heart. If they do, then they're not the kind of person I want to be close to. All those innocent digimon I hurt made me realize just how important life really is. Every decision we make affects the lives of others, and we have to be prepared to take responsibility for our actions. By keeping the truth a secret, I almost forgot that painful lesson those digimon taught me, but I won't make the same mistake twice. Look at how my actions affected Sam. This kind of thing can't be allowed to happen again."

I hope T.K. realizes the same thing, and Tai too, for that matter.

"In other words, you plan to tell Sam exactly what you told us?" Dai asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Yes, even...even if it costs me my son's love and respect."

"Ken, I wish you could see just how much you've grown," Yolei sighed, her lips twitching into a fond smile. "I really am proud of you."

"Poor Uncle Sam. Why did he have to go away?" Nao mumbled. "I wish I could have met him, but...I know he's proud of you, Daddy, just like me."

"Uncle," Miya whispered, a sad smile turning up the corners of her mouth.

Sam...

Unable to stand the uncertainty piercing his heart, Ken turned his attention to Dai and blurted out the one thing he had been desperate to ask ever since the goggle-headed leader had shown up on his doorstep. "Why? Dai, why haven't you and the others treated me like..."

"Like the evil Digimon Emperor?"

Blushing slightly, Ken quickly averted his gaze and proceeded to gaze miserably at his hands. "I wouldn't blame you if you did."

"Don't you think you've suffered enough punishment already?"

"What?"

"Daichi's right," Ryoko interrupted, his deep blue eyes growing dark and serious. "Using Oikawa, MaloMyotismon tried his best right from the very beginning to hurt you, and because of him you lost sight of what truly mattered. As the Emperor, you did some really horrible things, no one can deny that, but how can you expect to condone for your crimes if you can't learn to let go of the past? We could choose to hate you for what you did, but what would that accomplish? It won't change the past. It won't help us save the Digital World, and more importantly, it won't help Sam."

"And without Sam, we can't stop the Ruler of Darkness," Takara insisted. "Oikawa and MaloMyotismon gave you the tools to use for your own destruction. You could have refused to accept them; you could have turned away from the darkness, but you didn't. Does that make you a bad person? No, of course not! Why did you lose your heart to the darkness in the first place? It's because you're just like everyone else! The Emperor could just as easily have been some other lost soul. Why beat yourself up over being human?"

"We all have darkness in our hearts. It's how we choose to use our power that decides our fate and the fate of those around us," Mickey said shyly. "You aren't weak because you became the Emperor. You're strong because you turned away from being the Emperor. It's easy to lose yourself to the darkness, but it takes real strength and courage to find your way back to the light. How many other people have failed to do what you did? To turn away from evil...if anything, you're stronger than everyone else here in this room combined."

"It's easy to do what is right when you're not being tested, but it's a whole different story when you have to claw your way back," Matty agreed.

"Nothing has changed, Ken," Dai said firmly. "You're still the same person we've always known, and nothing you tell us will ever change the way we feel. One day Sam will finally understand our way of thinking. It might take a while, but if we continue to believe in him, it'll happen. You'll see."

Overcome with emotion, Ken hastily rubbed his eyes and smiled brilliantly at the young Digidestined, all of whom were smiling back at him. "Thank you, all of you. And thank you for saving Sam from the forest today. I can't even tell you how grateful I am."

Oddly enough, Dai didn't seem to hear a word of what he had just said. For some reason the goggle-headed leader was staring at Ryoko, and there was a thoughtful expression on the young boy's face.

Only a disguise. I wonder...

"See, Ken? I told you they would understand!" Minomon said happily, hopping up and down excitedly in his lap.

"Of course we would! So, uh...Ken? Are you planning on coming with us to the Digital World tomorrow?" Matty asked hesitantly.

Ken's smile faded, and avoiding the younger twin's eyes, he quickly shook his head. "Considering how Sam feels right now, I don't think it would be a very good idea. Besides, Sam will more likely be willing to join you in the Digital World tomorrow if I'm not there. I don't want to jeopardize your chances of getting the Spirit Chip on Infinity Mountain. At the moment, I think it would be best if I just gave Sam a little bit of space. I'm sure he needs some time away from me to think about everything he's learned today, but that doesn't mean I want you guys to give up on him. Please talk to him for me, and...keep him safe."

"Don't worry, Ken, we'll look out for him, and I promise we'll find a way to make him see just how much you've changed since those days when you were the Emperor," Mickey said firmly.

"It's too bad, though," DemiEmbermon said regretfully, shaking his head. "We could have used JewelBeemon, especially now that Vampiramon and the other megas have finally decided to fight against us using their full strength."

"Well, at least Joe offered to come with us, so hopefully we'll be able to get the Spirit Chip before Vampiramon and her allies have a chance to fight against us," Fluttermon piped up, sending DemiEmbermon an encouraging smile.

"Ken, can I ask you something?" Mickey mumbled, gazing uncertainly at his feet.

"Of course. What is it?"

"Well, do you remember when we were in DarkAngelicmon's castle? Luciamon managed to stop DarkAngelicmon from telling Sam the truth about the Emperor, but I don't think she was doing it just for Sam. On the surface, it looked as if she was trying to stop DarkAngelicmon from hurting Sam, but I think maybe she was trying to stop him from hurting you, too. It's almost as if he has plans for both you and Sam, not just Sam. If that's true, then what do you think he has planned for you?"

Ken gazed thoughtfully at the ceiling for a moment, and shaking his head in defeat, he shrugged his shoulders and let out a small sigh. "I don't know, but...I think maybe his plans for me centre around what he has planned for Sam. I think it's pretty obvious DarkAngelicmon wanted to use me to hurt Sam. After all, he knew hurting me would also hurt Sam, and allowing Sam to fall victim to the darkness in his heart would bring him one step closer to his goal. That's probably why he originally wanted to tell Sam about my past. I'm sure his plans for me all have something to do with whatever he has in store for Sam. My son is the one he really wants to use in his quest to steal the Spirit Chips and their power, not me."

"I guess that makes sense, but...if this afternoon DarkAngelicmon really did misinterpret Gennai's words, only to discover later, thanks to Sam, that parts of his original plan to tell Sam the truth would in fact be a more effective way of reaching his goal than by keeping the Emperor's identity a secret, then how will he go about using your past to his advantage? I mean, it looks as if DarkAngelicmon realizes Sam will need to stay away from the darkness in order to get his Spirit Chip and to gain control of its power, but for DarkAngelicmon's plans to work, at some point in time Sam will need to allow his heart to become corrupted by evil, right?"

"Yes, if our theories about DarkAngelicmon are correct, and he has in fact discovered that knowing the truth about my past may actually help Sam stay away from the darkness, not the other way around."

"Well, if we're right then that means DarkAngelicmon originally wanted to use your past to make Sam lose his heart to the darkness, but now that Sam knows the truth, and it may, like you said, actually help him turn away from evil, there's no way DarkAngelicmon will be able to use the Emperor as a catalyst anymore. We suspect your past will actually help Sam stay away from the darkness and reach his true potential, which means DarkAngelicmon will have to find another way to corrupt Sam's heart, if like he keeps saying, he wants to fulfill his master's plans. All of this brings me back to my real question. What else could DarkAngelicmon possibly use to hurt Sam? The Emperor's true identity was the one thing he had that might have worked..."

Isn't it obvious, Mickey? How can you not see it?

Unable to look at the older twin, Ken quickly squeezed his eyes shut and he covered his face with his hands. "You, Mickey. He wants to use you and Matty."

"W-what?"

"And not just you and Matty," Ryoko interrupted, "He wants to use Ken, too. Not the Digimon Emperor. Ken."

Everyone in the room suddenly fell silent, and just when Ken thought perhaps the conversation might be over, Matty suddenly let out a gasp that turned into a cry of fear. "Ken, what do you think DarkAngelicmon has planned for Mickey and myself?"

Lifting his head, Ken quickly turned towards Matty and gave the younger twin a sad smile. "I think what he has planned for Sam is the same thing he has planned for the two of you. He wants the power of your Spirit Chips, and he will stop at nothing until both you and Mickey have completely given yourselves up to the Powers of Darkness. It's the same thing he wants for all of the Spirit Chips, but he seems to have a special purpose for the ones that belong to the two of you. I'm not sure exactly what that purpose is yet, but I'm sure we'll find out sooner or later."

"But...how exactly does he plan to make us become victims of the Powers of Darkness?" Matty asked anxiously.

By turning the two of you against each other.

"Ken, you don't really believe DarkAngelicmon only cares about hurting Mickey and Matty, do you?" Palelymon gasped. "Earlier you said..."

"No, Palelymon, I...I think he feels it's something he must do, even though it may not be something he necessarily wants to do. He may have truly wanted to hurt them in the beginning, but now...now I feel as if he may be having second thoughts. Deep down inside, I don't think he really wants to hurt Mickey and Matty, but it's almost as if he feels he has no other choice. I get the feeling he's trying to convince himself that he doesn't care, but if you ask me, the cracks are starting to show. If we ever do find out the truth about his past, I'm sure it will be very surprising, one way or another."

"When I first met DarkAngelicmon, I really believed he was an evil, dangerous digimon who wanted nothing more than to hurt all of us and cause us pain," Mickey said quietly, lowering his head and gazing uncertainly at his feet. "I was convinced he wanted to hurt Sam and Matty, but...now I'm not so sure. I still think he's going to try to hurt them, and I still believe he needs Matty more than he needs me, but if we can find a way to get through to him, maybe we can stop that from happening."

"Good luck," Matty snorted, rolling his eyes. "By the way, Mickey, remember when you said DarkAngelicmon was going to use me to hurt you? Well, if you ask me, what you implied makes it sound as if he needs you more than he needs me."

Mickey opened his mouth to protest, but when he realized Matty was right, he blushed and quickly turned away from his twin. "Maybe, but...I still think you're the key to all of his plans, not me."

"He pays way more attention to you than he does to me. You're the one he's always going after all the time. Doesn't what just happened today completely prove the whole point I'm trying to make here? You're the one he wants. Why can't you see that? Even if Ken's right about DarkAngelicmon not wanting to hurt us, and I still have my doubts, that doesn't mean he isn't still dangerous. Relying too much on a bunch of theories could get us all killed, and I can't believe I'm the one who's reminding you all of that! The rest of you should know better than me."

"I used to think the way you do, Matty, but...a lot of things have changed since then. Why can't you see it?"

"You're only seeing what you want to see, Mickey! How can both you and Ryoko sit there and accuse me of that when you're the one who won't open your eyes, not me!"

"Please," Mickey pleaded. "You have to see..."

"Will you two give it a rest?" Ryoko snapped, glaring at his cousins. "Besides, you're both wrong! How can you two ignore what is so blatantly obvious! Look at the way you're acting. I think it's pretty clear who DarkAngelicmon really wants!"

"What do you mean?" Matty asked hesitantly, frowning at the golden-haired Digidestined.

"Oh, just forget it! You wouldn't understand no matter how hard I tried to explain it!"

Ryoko sees what I see. DarkAngelicmon wants both of them, and to steal their power, he's going to turn them into enemies...

It was a theory based on absolutely no evidence, but Ken still couldn't help feeling as if he was on the right track.

If only there was something we could do...

"Ken, uh...is it okay if one of us talks to Sam?" Dai suddenly blurted out, gazing coolly at Mickey and Matty before turning his attention to the question at hand. "I'd like to know what really happened in the forest today, and I also want to know exactly how he's feeling right now. Maybe having someone to talk to will help him come to terms with your past, and maybe it'll help us figure out whether or not our theories are true."

"You can try, but...I'm not going to get my hopes up."

"We'll see."

"Who should go?" Takara asked curiously.

"Mickey," Ryoko said promptly.

"Definitely Mickey," Dai agreed.

"Like you even need to ask," Matty snorted.

Mickey jerked his head up in surprise, and to Ken's complete astonishment, the older twin's face suddenly turned a deep shade of red. "Why me?"

Rolling his eyes, Matty grabbed his brother's arm and quickly pulled the older twin up off the floor. "Let's see...Dai has practically no tact whatsoever; this kind of thing always makes me too frustrated, and Ryoko is...well...Ryoko! Besides, after what happened this afternoon, I doubt Sam will want to talk to either Dai or Ryoko. Takara would be the next best choice, but you seem to be able to understand him the best out of all of us, which makes you the logical choice."

"But-"

"Hurry up. We don't have all night!"

"But-"

Matty gave his brother a push towards the door, and stumbling slightly, Mickey reluctantly made his way up the stairs. Ken, who was still sitting on the couch, could see Kara and the others crowded around the bottom of the staircase through the doorway, and although they all looked a little bit nervous, he could tell they were trying not to show it for Mickey's sake.

"Better you than me," Ryoko said sadly, shaking his head.

"Are you still worrying about the way Sam treated you earlier?" Dai asked calmly, glancing ever so slightly in the golden-haired Digidestined's direction. "Hatred is only a disguise, right? Isn't that what you said earlier?"

Ryoko's face suddenly turned bright red, and looking quite flustered, he quickly turned away from the goggle-headed leader, his bright blue eyes sparkling with sudden emotion. Clearly Dai was no longer talking about Sam, and Ryoko seemed to have gotten the message loud and clear.

"Good luck, Mickey!" Takara called cheerfully, her words cutting through the sudden tension between Daichi and Ryoko.

Mickey glanced down at the other children and gave them all a weak smile. "Well, I'll try, but I can't make any promises."

"You'll be fine," Matty said softly. "We believe in you."

Ken caught the blush on Mickey's cheeks before the older twin disappeared from view, and shaking his head, he allowed himself a small smile. Even though he was still worried about Sam, he couldn't help feeling grateful to Dai and the others for what they were trying to do for him. It was a good feeling and it made him feel a lot more hopeful about his situation.

"Dad?"

Startled out of his thoughts, Ken looked up in surprise, and turning in his seat, he nearly let out a gasp when he suddenly found himself gazing into his daughter's amber eyes. "What...what is it, Miya?"

"Um...can I...can I talk to you for a minute?"